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Serfas Optics – Review

3 Oct

For all of you out there who’ve been thinking “man, I wish the same people who made my grandma’s bike saddle would make sunglasses,” Serfas Optics has arrived. Eyeware from the famous Tawainese manufacturer brings a variety of styles to a pricepoint (MSRP $50) somewhat less obscene than bigger name brands. But how does the product compare?

Style: 3. Why else does anyone really wear sunglasses? The model I picked, the Hunters, was decently stylish. At anything other than close inspection, they looked like an expensive bit of performance eyeware. Of course, once you tell people Serfas makes them, they laugh at you, but the style is undistinctive enough that few people ask. Good range of frame/lens colors to coordinate with your outfit. So 3, right dead in the middle of the road.

Sigma Sport BC 1200 – Review

7 Sep

A basic, middle-of-the-line computer from your favorite German fitness product company. Avg. speed, ridetime, stopwatch, ride distance, max speed, total odo, and even a countdown odometer (for those of you who can’t subtract). Retail is $25, a wireless mount (which I got) is 15 more.

Set-Up: 4. Pretty simple. After you find the hidden button on the back that resets it, just punch buttons (there’s only two) through the menus, enter the special 4-digit code for your wheel size, set your clock, and it’s good to go. Barely need the manual at all. Kinda sucks that you can’t mount it on the stem without having it rotated 90-degrees, though.

Fizik Aliante Sport – Review

16 Aug

A stripped down model of the super-pimp Aliante this saddle might just only be available as an OEM part. No matter. It might be on a bike you want, it might turn up on Nashbar next month. It weighs 263g with Ti rails, cost is probably around $70 retail? Anyway, let’s get down to business (on a scale of 1-5 as always, with 3 being the industry average.)

Cost: 3. At my guestimated retail price, it compares favorably with other saddles in that price range. Ti rails keep it light, rest of the saddle is cheap: plastic, foam and faux leather.

Sharkies – Review

27 Jul

Interesting. A fully organic gummy candy. Seems counterintuitive. Also, it’s marketed as an energy food for workouts. Let’s see how they stand up against other products on the market.

Cost: 2. Retail is 3 dollars a pouch. A 12-pouch box of non-organic gummy candy is 6 bucks. That does not compare favorably.

Portability: 4. Pouch is larger than most energy foods, but is very easy to compact and doesn’t seem bulky in a jersey pocket. Plus, if opened correctly, it’s essentially resealable (compared to an energy bar or goo container).

“Crash!” DVD – Review

26 Jun

The product reviews here at Cyclocosm aim to be a bit different than on other sites. We tell you as much as possible, as quickly as possible. The testers decide what traits of a product are important to that product’s not sucking, then rate those traits 1-5, with 3 being the industry standard. No overall score is given, as different people will want different things from each product.

Hosted by Bob Roll, Featuring Lance, Jan, many other riders, Color, 104min, MSRP $24.95.

Originality 4. Nothing new about a bike racing compilation. All crashes, though, is a new development.

Ritchey WCS Crankset – Review

26 Jun

The product reviews here at Cyclocosm aim to be a bit different than on other sites. We tell you as much as possible, as quickly as possible. The testers decide what traits of a product are important to that product’s not sucking, then rate those traits 1-5, with 3 being the industry standard. No overall score is given, as different people will want different things from each product.

Crankset, Aluminum, 53/39, 170mm, 592g, MSRP $199.99 (widely available for less).

Looks: 4. What component draws more attention than your crankset? Machined, black-anodized aluminum looks sweet and industrial in world dominated by shininess and rounded carbon weave.

Enervit Cheerpack – Review

2 Jun

The product reviews here at Cyclocosm aim to be a bit different than on other sites. We tell you as much as possible, as quickly as possible. The testers decide what traits of a product are important to that product’s not sucking, then rate those traits 1-5, with 3 being the industry standard. No overall score is given, as different people will want different things from each product.

This lovely energy supplement is an extremely sugary liquid, billed as “nitrous for your body.” The idea is to boost your performance over the last hour of a race or hard ride.